Car-coupling



(No Model.) Q

J. W. OULTON.

GAR COUPLING. l No. 266,133. Patented Sept. 26, 1882.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE;

JAMES W. ()ULTON, OF OHARLESTOWN, MASSACHUSETTS.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 265,133, datedSeptember 26, 1882.

Application filed December 31, 18 81. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, JAMES W. OULTON, of Oharlestown, county of Suffolk,and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in (Jar-Couplings, of which the following description, in connection with theaccompanying drawings, is a specification.

My invention relates to a car'coupling, and

has for its object to produce a car-coupling by which the usual linkwill be automatically engaged by the usual pin when the cars cometogether, the said coupling being applicable to draw-heads of any heightabove the rail within the usual limits. The invention consistsessentially in the combination, with the usual draw-head provided withtransverse bridges or webs, of springpressed link holding devicesprovided with studs entering the sides of the said draw-head, andadapted to engage and hold the usual link and present it properly to thedraw head of the other car to be coupled. The said devices are providedwith apin-sustaining projection near the top of the draw-head, which,when the link is not inserted, is adapted to engage the lower end of theusual coupling-pin and hold it above the said draw-head, ready to dropwhen released -by the movement of the link-holding devices, such releaseoccurring when the link is introduced from the other car, it separatingthe said link-holding devices and releasing the pin, which falls throughthe link to shackle the cars in the usual manner.

The invention also consists in pin-operating mechanism by which thecoupling can be operated from the top or sides of the car.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a portion of a car having a draw-headprovided with this invention Fig. 2, a front elevation thereof; Fig. 3,a detail showing the pin-operating mechanism of Fig. 2 in plan view;Fig. 4, a plan view of the drawhead, partly in section; and Fig. 5, adetail of the pin-operating mechanism at the top of the car.

or levers c, pivoted at 3, and provided with studs d, depressed bysprings 6 through holes at in the sides of the draw-head. The said studs61 are beveled or V-shaped at their ends, as shown, and are locatedmidway in the height of thelink-openings of the draw-head, as shown inFig. 2. a

' The draw-head is divided by one or more horizontal webs or bridges, a,into a series of openings of such depth, measured vertically, that alink of ordinary dimensions in entering will force the studs 01 apartand be held wedged between their points and one of the horizontal wallsof the inside of the draw-head, as shown by the dotted lines, Fig. 2.The link thus held by the pressure of the spring 6 upon the plates 0will project horizontally from the draw-head, as shown in Fig. 1, so asto enter the mouth ofa corresponding draw-head upon another car to becoupled.

The link-holding devices care provided with a coupling-pin-holdingprojection, 9, located beneath the point at which the coupling-pin benters the draw-head, and adapted to support the said pin, as shown inFig. 1, when no link is inserted in the draw-head. When, however, a linkis inserted and forces the projections cl and connected plates .0outward the connected pin-holding projection is disengaged from the saidpin and permits it to drop through the link thus inserted. The pin b maybe withdrawn to uncouple the cars or to prepare for coupling them in anyusual manner. As herein shown, a lifting-arm, h, passing through the eyeof the link, is connected with a rock-shaft, i, mounted in suitablebearings and extending across the end of the car, the said shaft beingpreferably an iron rod bent at right angles at its ends and formed intohandled levers j at the sides of the car. An operating-rod, is,connected with the arm h, is extended to the top of the car and providedwitha suitable handle.

In operation the pin 11 is raised and a link inserted by hand in thedraw-head of one of the cars to be coupled, the said link being held bythe devices 0 d preferably at an intermediate point in the height of thedraw-head opening at such height as the operator may judge is requiredfor the proper engagement with the other draw-head. In the other car thepin is raised up and held by the projection g.

When the cars come together the link carried by the one enters the otherdraw-head, separating the projections d and plates 0 thereof,

which remove the projection g from beneath 5 the coupling-pin b, andthus automatically permit the said coupling-pin to drop through the saidlink and shackle the cars. The cars may be uncoupled by an operator atthe top of the car lifting the pin by means of the rod k, or by anoperator on the ground at either side of the car by means of the handlej. The upward movement of the arm h is limited by a stop, 1, so as toprevent the complete removal of the pin 1) from its socket.

It is sometimes desirable to keep the coupling-pin raised while the linkis still in the draw-head and the projection g consequently withdrawn.For this purpose holding devices or fasteners m are provided at thesides of the car, they being pivoted, as at 4, and adapted to engage theend of the handled levers j, as shown in the drawings, to keep thecouplingpin elevated. The upper end of the rod it passes through aguide, a, at the top ofthe car, the said guide having in its forward enda narrow slot, 5, (see Fig. 5,) that will engage the under side of anenlarged portion at the end of the said rod, or a notch therein, whenthe said rod is thrown forward, as shown in pin elevated. When the rod7c is thus thrown forward, or when the holding device mis caught overthe end of the handled leverj, the weight of the pin 1) will retain themengaged; but the 5 said rod 70 and fastener m are so inclined that theywill drop by their own weight as soon as the pressure on them isrelieved, so that an operator at the top of the car can disengage thefastener mat the side of the car by merely lifting up on the rod 7a; orthe rod k may be disengaged from the slot 5 by pressing down on thehandle j at the side of the car.

It will be seen that this coupling device can be applied to draw-headsof ordinary construction, and that the said draw-heads are notmaterially weakened by the holes provided for the reception of thelink-holding studs.

dotted lines, Fig. 1, thus keeping the coupling.

I do not herein broadly claim the combination, with a draw-head providedwith passages through its sides, of spring-pressed link-holding devicesprovided with studs entering said passages and adapted to hold the linkin a horizontal position.

I claim 1. The combination, with the draw-head provided with holes toreceive the usual couplingpins, of the spring-pressed link-holdingdevices provided with studs entering the sides of the said draw-headmidway in the height of its opening, and the pin-holding projectionconnected with one of the said devices and automatically operated by theinsertion of the link, as described, to release the pin and permit it todrop, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, substantially as shown and described, of thecoupling-pin-operating arm h, the rock-shaft i, supporting the same, thehandled levers j of said rock-shaft, gravitating holders m for suchlevers, operating-rod It, and catch therefor, whereby the actuating ofthe arm h by the levers serves to unlock or release the rod also, andvice versa.

3. The coupling-pin-operating arm h and its rock-shaft t', provided withthe levers j, havinghaudles.combinedwith gravitatinginclined fasteningdevices at, substantially as shown and described.

4. The combination of.- the draw-head a, divided into a number oflink-chambers by webs a, the plates 0, pivoted at 3 upon opposite sidesof the draw-head, each having a number of studs, at, corresponding innumber with the number of chambers, and entering each 0119.111 her fromopposite sides, and the springs 6, pressing upon plates 0, substantiallyas shown and described.

In testimony whereof have signed myname to this specification in thepresence-of two subscribingwitnesses.

JAMES W. OULTON.

Witnesses:

Jos. l. LIVERMORE, BERNICE J. Novas.

